This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119 to Italian patent application number TO2001A000849, with a filing date of Sep. 6, 2001.
The present invention relates to a sealing device for rolling bearings.
In general, the device described in the present invention is advantageously applied in the field of rolling bearings for wheel hubs and, in particular, it is used for rolling bearings for wheel hubs which are blocked on the own inner race of a rolled rim on the inner race itself and which belongs to the wheel hub.
In the particular case in which the wheel hubs described above are assembled to a constant velocity universal joint in such a way that the rolled rim is arranged in direct contact with a shoulder of the universal joint itself, a disadvantage arises due to the infiltration of detritus between the inner race and the rolled rim and between the rolled rim and the universal joint, and a further disadvantage arises due to the imperfect flatness of the two contact surfaces between the rolled rim and the shoulder, a factor which causes undesirable background noise when the rolling bearing has to bear heavy loads.
The aim of the present invention is to produce a sealing device for rolling bearings which will be able to resolve the above-described disadvantages in a simple and cost-effective fashion.
According to the present invention, a sealing device for rolling bearings will be produced comprising an inner race, which is axially blocked by a blocking element which is suitable for being arranged in direct contact with a reference element, the sealing device being characterised by the fact that it comprises a distance ring which is made of plastic material and which is interposed between the blocking element and the reference element; the sealing device also comprises snap fastening means which are integral to the distance ring and which are used for fastening the distance ring itself to the blocking element; the sealing device also comprises an external covering which is made of rubber material and which is arranged outside the snap fastening means in order to guarantee at least one static seal between the inner race and the blocking element and between the blocking element and the reference element.